


Stay Alive

by SeriouslyStressed



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-13 17:13:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13575192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeriouslyStressed/pseuds/SeriouslyStressed
Summary: What if John Laurens hadn't died? Would anything change or would it stay the same? What will happen between Hamilton and Laurens? Stay tuned to find out!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Quick Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters that are portrayed in this work!

A young man sat quietly in his chair rocking ever so slightly to lull the small bundle in his arms into a blissful sleep. The only sounds that filled the room was the sounds of their breathing mixed with the soft creaks and groans of the rocking chair as it moved. Outside the room, his wife was bustling around like a worker bee trying to keep the house spotless, which was a rather hard chore considering who her husband was. Papers were always thrown left and right very rarely making it into the waste bin, spots of ink dotted several desks as well as tables after a long night of work. A small smile crossed his lips as he though about how lucky he was to have a loving wife like her.

 

The bundle in his arms stirred a little bit dragging him out of his thoughts. 'Phillip,' he thought looking down at his son who was cooing in his sleep, 'I promise that I will make this world right for you. No matter what it takes, no matter how long, I promise you I will make this world a better place for you and your future family. Even if it costs me my life. I'm willing to give it all up for you, my son.' His long fingers played with the small curls of hair peaking out from under the soft blue blanket surrounding the baby. The little boy was already quite the looker. Round chubby cheeks, small tuft of hair, very faint freckles dotting his nose and even his forehead.

 

His peaceful mood was soon interrupted when his wife entered the room clutching a letter to her chest. "Alexander? There's a letter for you from South Carolina." she stated looking wearily down to the paper in her hands. Alexander smiled at her while he repositioned himself in his chair. "It's from John Laurens. I'll read it later," the smile never left his face, that is until he saw the look of worry cross his wife's face. "No. It's not." A sudden sinking feeling filled his chest and stomach. His mind raced with the possibilities of what the letter had to offer. The chair he was sitting in gave one final squeak before he rose, placing his son into a the near by crib. "Will you read it?" his voice was just barely over a whisper as he pleaded to her. She let out an anxious sigh as she carefully opened the letter taking out the parchment that was inside. The room was slightly dark, but Alexander could still see the penmanship that covered the paper along with what looked like a name scrolled across the top.

 

"On Tuesday the 27th, Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens was shot in a gunfire against British troops in South Carolina. The troops had not yet received word from Yorktown that the war was over. He will be housed and medically treated here for the time being. As you may know, Lieutenant Colonel Laurens was engaged in recruiting three thousand men for the first all-black military regiment. The surviving members of this regiment have been returned to their masters. At this moment anyone with strong ties to the patient are being contacted and strongly urged to come to South Carolina. While his wounds are not severe at this moment there is still the possibility of severe infection spreading, loss of life is not out of the question. Accommodations will be made upon your arrival. We hope to see you in a few weeks' time if not sooner." Her eyes darted up to her husband's wide and teary ones. She knew how hard this was for him to hear that his best friend was in such critical condition but didn't know what to do to help him. All she knew to do was to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder in hopes of relaxing him. "Alexander, are you alright?" His eyes shut letting a tear streak down his cheek. When his eyes opened he immediately pushed past his wife muttering a quick "I have to pack".

 

The walk to the bedroom should've only been a few seconds, but in Alexander's mind it took several excruciating minutes. Once there he made a beeline for the closet which held a makeshift bag which he kept from when he first arrived in New York. He smiled at the fond memories that came with this bag. Meeting Aaron Burr, going to the bar, meeting Lafayette, Mulligan, and John. His smile dropped when he thought about John. Shaking his head, he stood up and walked over to his dresser, pulling out a few days' worth of clothes placing them in the bag. Reaching into the back of the dresser he pulled out a letter to Laurens that was yet to be completed. The letter was supposed to go out later this week as to follow the pattern which he and Laurens had created shortly after his deployment. The weekly letters had become something that was greatly anticipated by both parties. Flipping the letter over in his hands he easily placed it inside one of his shirts to avoid damage. "Alex, are you sure you want to make this trip? It could be dangerous." The sweet voice belonging to his wife chimed in from the doorway. Yes, it would be slightly dangerous, especially knowing that the British troops do not know about the war being over, but it was a risk that needed to be taken. His best friend is currently under the care of a doctor more than likely alone and if he's awake and conscious, more than likely afraid. "Eliza, you know I have to go. He's the closest friend I've got, he would do the same for me." Her head lowered before she entered the room and started pulling out some of her clothes. "What are you doing" Alex questioned watching her moves. A small smile graced her lips as she turned to face him. "I'm going with you of course!"

 

Alex continued to watch her search for another outfit before interjecting. "I'm sorry Eliza but this is something that I have to do by myself. Phillip needs his mother here and can't accompany us on our trek, he's still too young. And you said it yourself, it could be dangerous. I can fend for myself, my sweet." He finished with a smile not even giving her a chance to object. "Somebody has to man the home front in my absence. I'm counting on you. Plus, it's not like I'll be alone. Mulligan and Lafayette will without a doubt be with me."

 

After a long silence she started to put her belonging back where they came from. "You're right. I guess I'm just worried about this. I mean, you've practically just got home and now you're leaving again for who knows how long this time." He embraced her when he heard her voice start to crack. It wasn't much but he hoped that it was enough to let her know that nothing bad was going to happen. They stayed locked in each other's arms before slowly breaking apart. Alex gave his wife a quick kiss and the promise to return home when he can. Grabbing his now packed bag, he went to the nursery to say his good-byes to Phillip. It was hard for him to leave his new bundle of joy after only just being able to see him and it hurt him deeply. Letting out a shaky sigh while leaving the room he past Eliza standing by the front doors with a small smile.

 

The weather outside was pleasant. Not too warm yet not too cold, the sun was just about to set when Alexander decided to pay his friends a visit. The old bar seemed to be the best place to look. Where else would two close friends go after hearing grim news about another friend?

 

It took a little over twenty minutes to reach the entrance of the bar where he had spent much of his first year or so at. He wooden door was aged but just slightly, windows were replaced due to various brawls that took place over the years, and the smell of liquor flooded out of the slightly open door. Inside the bar everything was the same. The same old tables spread around the room and an old bar along the left side. Stools that look like they've seen better days with some of the local drunks sitting on them. A slight chuckle left his lips when his eyes landed on two men sitting at a familiar table. "Well well well, look who the cat dragged in! Hamilton! Good to see ya man!" the shorter of the two exclaimed when he noticed Alex enter the bar. "Mon ami, Alex is that really you?" the taller asked with a grin. Alex gave himself a quick once over before replying with a "I hope so. Otherwise this would be awkward". The men gave each other hugs beginning to discuss how life was treating them, even though they only been apart for a matter of weeks. They talked about families, jobs, future endeavors and anything else they could think of. It was nice to be able to catch up with his close friends, but it was now time to get down to business. "I understand that you two received a letter from South Carolina as well?" Alex asked trying not to bring the mood down too much.

 

The two men across from him exchanged sad looks while nodding their heads. They explained that they were currently waiting on a stagecoach to arrive to escort them down, everything else would sort itself out when they arrived. Alex, not having a mode of transportation, asked to tag along which his friends happily agreed to him coming along as long as he chipped in for where they decided to stay. It made him happy to know that he wouldn't have to do this alone. While he didn't express it earlier he was fearing going by himself. 

 

It didn't take much longer for the stagecoach to arrive. Alex was only there for a few minutes before someone came in looking for Lafayette. The three boys quickly payed for their drink and walked out into the dark night. The once clear sky now had dark clouds blocking out even the smallest stars light. Alex didn't notice how long he had been watching the sky until he felt a sudden hand on his shoulder. Standing next to him was Lafayette, his face graced with a small sympathetic smile. They knew it was going to be a long ride, a few days was the guess, but the boys were just happy that they could help each other cope as well as sleep though the first night. However, that was easier said than done for Alex. Most of the night was spent with him listening to the crunch of the ground lost in his thoughts. Thoughts that were filled with images of an extremely broken Laurens lying lifelessly on a bed moments away from taking his last breath with Alex standing off to the side not being able to do anything to prevent it. For the first time that day he freely let his tears stream down his face accompanied by the clenching of his heart and the need to see his friend. He knew this trip was going to be a long, painful one but deep down he knew it would all be worth it. Seeing his friend was his only worry at the moment. It doesn't matter what happens to him, his friend's safety is more important that his own. Knowing he won't be able to sleep he reached into his bag quietly fishing around for the envelope he hid earlier in one of his shirts as well as something to write with. He used what little time he had left of the night to let his emotions flood through him, through his quill, then onto the paper.

 

When the sun started to come up was the time he stopped writing not wanting his other friends to wake up to him furiously scribbling away. Shortly after he finished cleaning up Lafayette, who was sitting next to him, started to wake up accidentally kicking Mulligan with his ling legs in the process. Low grumbles came from his mouth directed at Lafayette for disturbing his sleep. He laughed out an apology before checking his watch for the time. "It'll be about an hour before we stop to give the horses a rest. Just a few more stops until we're there!" Alex grinned at that news. 'Just a few more days Laurens, we'll be there soon. Don't give up on us.'


	2. Arriving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second part is done! I tried my best to take my time writing as well as rereading it but seeing as it's 3am there's more than likely errors and confusing parts that I overlooked but at least I tried! I'll try to fix any errors I find when I can!

After about a week on the trail, the stagecoach slowly crossed the boarder of North Carolina into South Carolina. All three boys had their faces plastered to the small windows on the stagecoach’s doors along with the ones next to their seats as they watched several small neighborhoods go by at a steady pace. A small rap on from up front was followed by a gruff mumble from the driver asking where to take them from there. Mulligan being the closest to the man shouted to drop them off at a street called Lancing Avenue and that they would make the rest of the trip by foot.

 

Alexander remembered the address on the envelope saying something about Lancing but was embarrassed to say the he couldn’t remember the exact address, he made a mental note to thank Mulligan for remembering when they arrived. Lafayette started to bob his leg in the anticipation of getting to their friend as soon as possible. The coach was filled with a tense air during the whole trip causing all three of the passengers to fidget and stumble for words. At times the atmosphere lightened enough for small jokes and teases to be tossed back and fourth but it lightness only lasted for a few minutes before everyone went back to being quiet.

 

It didn’t take much longer for the coach to come to a complete stop. Another rap was heard followed by a quick ‘here you are’ which was enough to cause a small stampede as the three tried to get out at the same time.

 

The air was crisp and fresh outside of the coach, just like it would be after a small rainstorm. The sun bathed everything in a warm golden light making even the smallest blade of grass look enchanting.

 

Alexander watched Mulligan and Lafayette chat with the driver for a few moments before his attention was captured by the horses in the front. Two large horses nickered and snorted at each other in their own form of communication. One horse had a white coat with brown splotches decorating its body with a medium sized mane and tail both in a brown color. The one next to it was slightly shorter, hardly noticeable with a fast glance, with an almost solid brown color. The only color difference was the white sock on its left leg. Other than that they had the same features. The taller one stood with a relaxed stance, head slightly bowed. The other stood tall and proud clearly trying to make himself appear taller.

 

The spotted horse took its gaze off of its still nickering friend to look at Alexander with a curious look in its eyes. It’s head softly nudged forward in a coax like manner, like it was trying to get him to come closer, and it worked. Slowly, Alex moved forward and brought his hand up to the horses awaiting snout letting it touch it lightly. The horse let out a loud snort causing the hand on it to jerk back slightly but still remain in its original spot. Its eyes help a soft calm tone to them which Alex smiled at, ‘He must sense that I’m stressed. Such a wise creature indeed.’ The fine hairs on the horse’s snout felt like fine velvet, expensive and soft. Very nice to the touch.

 

A firm hand suddenly clamped onto Alex’s shoulder causing him to jump in surprise. He was too focused on the animals standing in front of him that he didn’t notice Mulligan walk up beside him, a wide smile plastered onto his face. “Looks like Romeo over here is working his charms on the four-legged variety! Did you see how they stared at each other? Priceless!” His gruff voice boomed in amusement right next to Alex’s poor ear

 

“Now cut that out. If I do remember correctly you hinted at having relations with one of these fine creatures when I first met you, isn’t that correct?” Mulligan’s face turned pale with a slight blush tainting his cheeks. Lafayette tried his best to hide his laughter only to crack when he got a good look at his friend’s flushed face, the coach driver on the other hand was not amused in the slightest. In fact, he looked disgusted at the muscular man.

 

“Tha-… No… Ye-… Shut up! That was a long time ago!”

 

“Oh, so it really did happen?” A smug smile spread across Alex’s face at the now flustered man. “And here I thought you were all talk.”

 

“Fuck you, man.” Alex burst into laughter while placing a gentle hand on Mulligan’s shoulder trying to tell him sorry.

 

Lafayette sobered up enough to notice that the driver was becoming uncomfortable with the conversation he was being subjected to. “Alright you two, that’s enough. This poor man didn’t need to hear any of that. Besides, it’s about time we got going…” His voice trailed off at the end, causing the other two boys to look at the ground.

 

Giving the driver a final farewell, the three turned their attention to the road that laid ahead of them. Somewhere down there their friend lay wounded and sick. Somewhere down there he lay possibly dead. They’ve been on the road for so long that there very well could’ve been an accident to his remaining health which they wouldn’t have been told. That thought alone caused Alex’s blood to run cold as well as for him to stumble on a small piece of stone. His friends caught him before he went down completely, sharing concerned looks.

 

A few houses down the three came to a stop. What stood before them was a decent sized brick ranch styled house with a small flower garden in the front, more than likely used for medicines as well as decoration. All in all, it was a very nice-looking plot of land.

 

The path leading up to the front door was a gravel sand mixture that made a crunch sound after each and every step. Once standing in front of the door, Alex took a deep breath before knocking lightly. His hands shook from the moment he knocked to the moment the door creaked opened.

 

A short middle-aged man stood in the doorway, a questioning look on his face. “Yes, how may I help you?” His voice was gravely and deep. “Oh wait. You must be here for that Laurens fellow! Right this way please.” He ushered the three boys in and down a side hall before pushing them into a room. ‘Odd man…’ Alex thought. The room was slightly dark and very quiet. Only a few chairs sat in the corner of the room along with a large curtain that blocked the view of half of the room. A sudden cough came from behind the curtain making Alex slightly jump. He wasn’t normally a jumpy man but for the past week he has been acting very differently. His normal behavior was for the most part dampened along with his will to fight with anyone who disagreed with him.

 

Carefully pulling back the curtain he found his friend laying on a “bed” that appeared to be made out of a table and some blankets. “John…” He whispered trying his best to see in the dim light. The older man must have caught on that the three he just invited in couldn’t see very well as he turned on a small lamp next to the table/bed. With the new light, Alex could see the large bandage wrapped around John’s chest and side. John’s face was very pale, probably due to the blood loss he experienced, and he was covered in cuts and bruises. “John.” He said with a weak voice cracking as tears formed in his eyes.

 

The other two walked up beside him and gazed down at their friend as he slowly opened his eyes at the new light in the room. Half lidded hazel eyes glanced at the three new faces hovering over him. Clearing his voice, he attempted to sit up slightly wincing at the sharp pain in his side. “Laf? Herc? Hamilton? What are you guys doing here?” Lafayette brought his hand up to his mouth in an attempt to muffle his gasp, Mulligan launched himself at Laurens who wheezed in both pain and the air being squeezed out of him. Alex on the other hand stood still, eyes as wide as saucers, looking as if he had just seen a ghost, which in his mind he did. He was half expecting John to be unconscious by the time they got there. The small surgery he went through to get the bullet out had to have taken a lot out of him, especially since the whiskey doesn’t block out much pain.

 

Laurens chuckled at Mulligan while patting his back. Lafayette began to mumble what sounded like a prayer in French before letting his hands fall and scolding Laurens for getting hurt, which only caused him to laugh louder. Alex still stood frozen in place glancing between the laughing Laurens and the yelling Lafayette. It only took a few moments for both of them to calm down enough to notice that a certain someone had been quiet the whole time. Lafayette tried to talk to him but only caused him to look down at his now clenched hands. Mulligan who had long since detached from Laurens was now standing beside Alex, a concerned look on his face. “Al? Are you alright? You’ve never been this quiet.”

 

“He’s right Alex.” Laurens said in a quiet tone. “It’s not like you.”

 

Silence returned to the room. This was a silence that was equivalent to that felt in the coach the whole trip there. That tense, sad silence that had overcome the three travelers for a week on end. It wasn’t interrupted until the slight shaking of Alex’s shoulders and soft sobs filled the room. His eyes shot up to meet John’s shocked ones. “John… I thought I lost you…” Came Alex’s soft whisper followed by a loud sniff. His clenched hands struck out to clasp around Laurens’ back tightly, not caring that his tears were soaking into his bandages, he was just happy that his friend was alive. Laurens’ hands wrapped around Alex’s shaking frame causing them both to fall back onto the makeshift bed since his arms were previously attempting to keep him up. They stayed like that while Lafayette and Mulligan turned their attention to the owner of the house asking where they would be staying since accommodations were to be provided. The old man explained that they would be sharing a room next to the one John was using as his recovery room and that they could stay there until John had fully recovered and was free to return home with them. Meals were to be provided daily free of charge for the most part. All that was asked of them was to chip in here and there with the occasional grocery shopping. They agreed to those terms, thanking the man for his hospitality. He gave them a smile in return before turning and leaving the room with a loud “dinner will be served in a few hours”.

 

Alex slowly calmed shortly after their host left and stood up giving Laurens one last squeeze. Turning to his other companions he told them to pull up a chair while grabbing his own, positioning it so that he was right next to Laurens. They spent the next hour talking about what happened. In his weak state he couldn’t quite remember full details, but he did remember being shot off his horse while leading a charge. After that everything went blank. The next thing he knew he was waking up in this room being asked who should be contacted. The three shared confused looks while asking him when he chose them to contact. He simply shrugged his shoulders stating that he wanted them there more than his father. Alex seemed like he was going to say something else before Laurens let out a yawn. His face turned beat red as he profusely apologized for his rudeness. Mulligan wave him off with a smile telling him that he should get some sleep. Laurens nodded in response giving each of his friends a warm smile thanking them for coming. The three stood up placing their chairs back against the wall declaring that they will be back after they unpack and eat.

 

Mulligan lead them out of the room saying good-bye and closing the door softly behind them. Alex shot one last look back at the door while following his friends to the neighboring room. The room was the same size and Laurens’ room with three small beds lined up at the back wall. The wall adjacent from the door had a medium sized dresser and a tall closet next to it. They each took turns putting their clothes away as well as choosing which bed would be theirs. Alex took the longest unpacking as he wanted to hide the letter he had finished writing to Laurens a few days ago. He didn’t want to risk his friends finding it before he had the chance to share it. After a considerable amount of time he decided to hide it inside a different shirt seeing as it would be less likely to fall out. The next task the boys faced was choosing which bed to call their own. Alex took the one closest to the wall separating them from Laurens room after much debate, Mulligan took the one in the middle mumbling curses to the other man, while Lafayette took the one at the other wall without a real care. It didn’t take long after they were settled for someone to knock at their door announcing dinner time. The first one out the door was Mulligan followed shortly by Lafayette, the last one out being Alex. As hungry as he was he wasn’t in a huge rush to get catch up with his friends. He took his time getting up making sure that he was well put together and presentable. It wasn’t until he was satisfied with his hair that he joined his friends in the dining area. The table was filled with chatter and playful banter as they waited for their food. Being as impatient as he was Alex just wanted to eat as fast as he could then head back to talk with Laurens, but for now he waited. It would only be an hour. He could wait, right?


End file.
